Alleged victim details messages

March 16, 2013

STEUBENVILLE - The alleged victim continued her testimony late this afternoon in the juvenile rape case being heard at the Jefferson County Justice Center .

The alleged victim, who is a student at Weirton Madonna High School, testified to a series of text messages with defendant Trent Mays, 17, of Bloomingdale, where Mays continually asked the alleged victim whether or not she was going to press charges.

The alleged victim also testified to the first time she saw an a now-infamous YouTube video she told the court that she could not watch the entire video, saying, "I couldn't stop crying, so I just turned it off."

The alleged victim testified that she thought she had been drugged by saying, "There was no other explanation for me not remembering a single thing from that night."

Mays reportedly continued to press the alleged victim on the issue, testimony showed.

At one point, Mays reportedly texted the victim that Steubenville High School football coach Reno Saccoccia called his house and indicated there had been a rape allegation, testimony revealed.

The alleged victim testified she was texting back and forth with Mays, still trying to piece together what happened that night, even while she was at Weirton Medical Center at the insistence of her parents to receive a medical check.

The alleged victim identified and pointed out Mays and the second defendant, Ma'lik Richmond, 16, of Steubenville, who are in the courtroom.

The alleged victim has yet to be cross-examined by defense attorneys and is still being questioned by the prosecution.

Mays and Richmond are facing rape charges in connection with an alleged incident that occurred the night of Aug. 11-12. Mays also faces a charge of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material for allegedly having a picture of the alleged victim in an outgoing message on his cell phone. Attorneys for both defendants have denied the charges in court.

A candlelight vigil in support of the alleged victim has been scheduled for 8 p.m. today in front of the Jefferson County Courthouse.

The trial, which began Wednesday, is scheduled to continue into Sunday and could run into Monday, courtroom observers have suggested.